This article examines the network of Chinese-led regional platforms, established throughout the developing world in the twenty-first century. It seeks to identify the common features of Chinese-led regional multilateralism: its normative basis, institutionalization patterns and the scope of cooperation. A comparative study of three selected platforms established in Central and Eastern Europe (16 + 1), Africa (FOCAC), and Latin America (CCF) is provided. These comprehensive dialogue mechanisms are based on Chinese-backed norms of non-binding agreements, voluntarism and consensus, derived from the tradition of South–South cooperation. This translates into a flexible and loose institutional structure that enables China to combine multilateral and bilateral approaches, creating a highly adaptable blueprint for managing foreign relations on a regional scale. The article evaluates the outcomes of the Chinese-led regional model and discusses the implications of the findings for the understanding of China’s evolving foreign policy.
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Jakub Jakóbowski (2018) studied this question.